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Brewers' Garden Returns Bigger and Better

The Finger Lakes Wine Festival – More than just grapes!

WATKINS GLEN, NY – The popular Brewers’ Garden returns in just under two weeks and will feature over 25 breweries during this year’s Finger Lakes Wine Festival presented by Yancey’s Fancy New York’s Artisan Cheese, July 15-17. That means more Ales, Lager’s, IPA’s and Stouts to sample than a year ago. The ever growing beer tasting area is only available on Saturday, July 16.

Horseheads Brewing, Inc., Ithaca Beer Co. and Southern Tier Brewing Company headline an extensive list that includes a variety of local and national breweries including Anheuser-Busch, Margaritaville Brewing Co. and Michelob Brewing Company.

While the Brewers’ Garden welcomes back the likes of Brewery Ommegang, Brooklyn Brewery and Sierra Nevada, there are several newcomers set to take advantage of more space at the Festival. Buffalo Bills Brewery, Craft Brewers Alliance as well as others are additions to this year’s Garden. The full listing of the breweries that will be in attendance can be found by visiting the Brewers’ Garden page on the official website for the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, www.FLwinefest.com.

Live music will keep the area rocking while tasters take in everything the Brewers’ Garden has to offer with Jared Campbell and Virgil Cain set to take the stage on Saturday.

Compared to many existing beer tasting events, the Brewer’s Garden is possibly the safest and most affordable one of its kind. Admission to the Brewers’ Garden is sold onsite and is only accessible through the festival grounds. The $10 admission to the Garden includes a commemorative mini-pint glass and one 10-tab tasting wristband. Additional tasting wristbands are available for just $5.

Once a year, Watkins Glen International transforms from The Soul of American Road Racing into the Finger Lake’s largest tasting room, where over 600 New York wines will be sampled. The celebration kicks-off on the evening of Friday, July 15th, with fireworks, wine, and togas at “Yancey’s Fancy Cheese Launch of the Lakes.” Saturday and Sunday the Festival will feature a variety of wine and food and arts and crafts from across the state, culinary classes, cooking demonstrations, wine seminars, The RIEDEL Experience, the Brewers’ Garden, pace car rides, live musical entertainment and much more. The festival will once again offer reserved camping areas and plenty of free parking. For information, please contact the Watkins Glen ticket office, toll free, at 866-461-7223, or visit the official website at www.FLWineFest.com. In the world of social media, you can also visit the official Facebook page of the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, www.FLWineFest.com, or follow Watkins Glen International on Twitter, @WGI.